Use this tag for questions seeking a single specific paper or a short, non-open-ended list of references, like "What paper first discovered X?", "Where can I find the original derivation of X?", or "What is the canonical source for X?" etc.
16
votes
8answers
2k views
Comprehensive book on group theory for physicists?
I am looking for a good source on group theory aimed at physicists. I'd prefer one with a good general introduction to group theory, not just focusing on Lie groups or crystal groups but one that ...
6
votes
8answers
4k views
Which Mechanics book is the best for beginner in math major?
I'm a bachelor student majoring in math, and pretty interested in physics. I would like a book to study for classical mechanics, that will prepare me to work through Goldstein's Classical Mechanics. ...
5
votes
1answer
268 views
Rigged Hilbert space and QM
Are there any comprehensive texts that discuss QM using the notion of rigged Hilbert spaces? It would be nice if there were a text that went through the standard QM examples using this structure.
5
votes
4answers
479 views
Study Quantum Physics
I'm an aspiring physicist who wants to self study some Quantum Physics. My thirst for knowledge is unquenchable and I can not wait 2 more years until I get my first quantum physics class in ...
3
votes
3answers
780 views
Popular books on QM
After some discussions with my friend about some "popular" aspects of quantum mechanics, my friend asked me whether there exist any books that could convey the basic ideas in a non-technical way (my ...
6
votes
10answers
2k views
Physics for mathematicians
How and from where does a mathematician learn physics from a mathematical stand point? I am reading the book by Spivak Elementary Mechanics from a mathematicians view point. The first couple of pages ...
7
votes
6answers
861 views
What is a tensor?
I have a pretty good knowledge of physics but couldn't understand what a tensor is. I just couldn't understand it, and the wiki page is very hard to understand as well. Can someone refer me to a good ...
6
votes
1answer
346 views
Is microcausality *necessary* for no-signaling?
There are proofs in the literature that QFT including microcausality is sufficient for it not to be possible to send signals by making quantum mechanical measurements associated with regions of ...
4
votes
7answers
459 views
Quantum information science references
I was hoping you guys could recommend reading material on Quantum Information Science. First off, here's my background.
Personally, I started reading Ballentine's Quantum Mechanics and I found it be ...
4
votes
2answers
259 views
Hamiltonian mechanics and special relativity?
Is there a relativistic version of Hamiltonian mechanics? If so, how is it formulated (what are the main equations and the form of Hamiltonian)? Is it a common framework, if not then why?
It would be ...
2
votes
3answers
484 views
Recently publicized experiment on destructive interference between two laser beams
Recently I've had several non-physicist friends ask me, independently of each other, about an experiment where two collinear laser beams destructively interfere along a certain length. Everybody wants ...
2
votes
3answers
281 views
Mathematics for Quantum Mechanics [duplicate]
What math should I study if I want to get a basic understanding of quantum mechanics and especially to be able to use the Schrodinger's equation.
13
votes
3answers
1k views
Good reading on the Keldysh formalism
I'd like some suggestions for good reading materials on the Keldysh formalism in a condmat context. I'm familiar with the imaginary time, coherent state, path integral formalism, but lately I've been ...
10
votes
1answer
452 views
Entanglement in time
Quantum entanglement links particles through time, according to this study that received some publicity last year:
New Type Of Entanglement Allows 'Teleportation in Time,' Say Physicists at The ...
3
votes
2answers
281 views
Fractals in physics. Suggest book titles
I'm looking for some good books on Fractals, with a spin to applications in physics. Specifically, applications of fractal geometry to differential equations and dynamical systems, but with emphasis ...
2
votes
2answers
815 views
What are good books for graduates/undergraduates in Astrophysics?
There are no book recommendations for Astrophysics here. I will write my own answer, but I am also interested in what are others' views on the question (I will NOT mark my own answer as the best one).
...
8
votes
3answers
189 views
References on the physics of anyons
Anyone know some good introductory references on the physics of anyons?
6
votes
1answer
439 views
The equipartition theorem in momentum space
Motivated by the answers to this question on turbulence, I'm interested in an explanation and/or derivation/reference of the equipartition theorem in momentum space. To formulate it as a question:
...
2
votes
2answers
269 views
Quantum phyics project for a high schooler [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Study Quantum Physics
I am a high schooler who is interested in physics and mathematics, and I have a kind of 'high-school thesis' coming up in a year and a half or so. ...
7
votes
3answers
456 views
Boundary layer theory in fluids learning resources
I'm trying to understand boundary layer theory in fluids. All I've found are dimensional arguments, order of magnitude arguments, etc... What I'm looking for is more mathematically sound arguments. ...
6
votes
2answers
353 views
What's a good reference for the electrodynamics of moving media?
The answer to a previous question suggests that a moving, permanently magnetized material has an effective electric polarization $\vec{v}\times\vec{M}$. This is easy to check in the case of ...
12
votes
1answer
385 views
A reading list to build up to the spin statistics theorem
Wikipedia's article on the spin-statistics theorem sums it up thusly:
In quantum mechanics, the spin-statistics theorem relates the spin of a particle to the particle statistics it obeys. The spin ...
5
votes
1answer
220 views
Historical and philosophical reflexions about the concept of energy? [closed]
Perhaps you know the books:
Concepts of Mass in Contemporary Physics and Philosophy
Concepts of Force: A Study in the Foundations of Dynamics
by Max Jammer, which discusses mass and force from a ...
4
votes
4answers
843 views
That 10km/day error predicted if GPS satellite clocks not corrected for relativity
Some authorities have stated publicly and without explanation that if the theories of Special and General Relativity were not taken into account in the design of the GPS (by building the satellite ...
4
votes
1answer
390 views
When will the Hubble volume coincide with the volume of the observable Universe?
The Hubble volume is the volume that corresponds to objects so far from the Earth that the space between us and them is expanding faster than the speed of light. (I.e. objects outside this volume ...
3
votes
4answers
596 views
Lagrangian to Hamiltonian in Quantum Field Theory
While deriving Hamiltonian from Lagrangian density, we use the formula
$$\mathcal{H} ~=~ \pi \dot{\phi} - \mathcal{L}.$$
But since we are considering space and time as parameters, why the formula
...
3
votes
3answers
469 views
Books for linear operator and spectral theory
I need some books to learn the basis of linear operator theory and the spectral theory with, if it's possible, physics application to quantum mechanics. Can somebody help me?
1
vote
1answer
144 views
Improved energy-momentum tensor
While still dealing with this issue, I've stumbled upon this answer to a question asking about the conserved quantity corresponding to a scaling transformation. It mentions that in accordance with ...
11
votes
2answers
142 views
Gauge invariance for electromagnetic potential observables in test function form
This is a reference request for a relationship in quantum field theory between the electromagnetic potential and the electromagnetic field when they are presented in test function form. $U(1)$ gauge ...
6
votes
2answers
265 views
What is known about quantum electrodynamics at finite times?
I'm aware that we can describe the time evolution of states/operators (choose your favourite picture) of non interacting quantum fields and that perturbation theory is very effective in computing S ...
5
votes
2answers
511 views
Why is spacetime near a quantum black hole approximately AdS?
In this link, one of the answers contains the statement
If you examine the space-time near a finite area quantum black hole,
you will see an approximate AdS space.
Presumably "approximate" ...
3
votes
1answer
415 views
Introduction to Physical Content from Adjoint Representations
In particle Physics it's usual to write the physical content of a Theory in adjoint representations of the Gauge group. For example:
$24\rightarrow (8,1)_0\oplus (1,3)_0\oplus (1,1)_0\oplus ...
1
vote
1answer
153 views
How does Doppler effect differ between EM -waves in Electrodynamics and Sound -waves?
I have an electrodynamics -course that contains doupler -effect but unfortunately with little explanations. Is it the same thing as the classical doppler effect for example with sound, more here, or ...
1
vote
2answers
101 views
Reference needed for Iron-based superconductors
Iron-based superconductor is a class of high-$T_c$ superconductors discovered in 2008.
Are there any review papers about these superconductors yet? If not, which are the key papers in the field?
1
vote
1answer
250 views
How many different formulations of QM currently exist?
I read some while ago that, currently, eleven different formulations of quantum mechanics exist. Is this correct / accurate? If yes, can someone provide a pointer(s) (i.e. link(s)) to the various ...
0
votes
3answers
376 views
Textbook on group theory to be able to start QFT
I am very enthusiastic about learning QFT. How much group theory would I need to master? Please could you recommend me a textbook on group theory, which would help me to start QFT?
9
votes
4answers
302 views
Applications of Geometric Topology to Theoretical Physics
Geometric topology is the study of manifolds, maps between manifolds, and embeddings of manifolds in one another. Included in this sub-branch of Pure Mathematics; knot theory, homotopy, manifold ...
4
votes
1answer
98 views
What Cat States of light have been experimentally produced?
I'm specifically looking for Schrödinger's Cat states involving superpositions of two, or if it's been done more, coherent states, i.e. monomodal states of the form ...
2
votes
1answer
186 views
Where to find the current positions and velocities of the planets?
I've written a program which simulates the motions of planets and other bodies. I'd like to run it on our own solar system, but to do so I need to know the current positions (preferably in ...
2
votes
0answers
74 views
Phonon-polariton literature resources? [closed]
What is a good resource for studying phonon-polaritons?
1
vote
1answer
146 views
What is 'tilt locking' of a laser cavity?
In another question, jasonh mentions a scheme for locking a laser to a resonant cavity called 'tilt locking':
The signal is used for locking the frequency of a laser to a high finesse cavity. The ...
1
vote
1answer
246 views
Causes of surface tension between two fluids
Suppose that we have two fluids $A$ and $B$ in a container $\Omega$, and we notice that $A,B$ do not mix.
Can you pleas explain to me what is the cause of this property?
What properties of the two ...
1
vote
1answer
470 views
Earth as approximate inertial frame of reference
In many practical applications one can consider the earth approximately as inertial reference system (though it is non inertial).
Is there any quotable reference, where this claim is supported by a ...
1
vote
0answers
163 views
Literature Request: Introduction to d-wave superconductivity
I'm looking for a pedagogic introduction to d-wave superconductivity.
Ideally, this would involve a derivation of d-wave superconductivity and the form of the gap parameter from some fundamental ...
0
votes
1answer
284 views
Lamb-Chaplygin dipole
There is an interesting issue of hydrodynamics: whirlpools.
I want to learn about the Lamb-Chaplygin dipole.
Lamb-Chaplygin dipole corresponds to a steady solution of the two dimensional Euler ...
0
votes
0answers
130 views
Journals on mathematics similar to the American Journal of Physics and the Physics Teacher [closed]
For the moderators: Please feel free to transfer this question to math.stackexchange if you find that it does not fit physics.stackexchange.
It is known that American Journal of Physics and the ...
